Welcome to this week’s look at what has been happening in the world of children’s books.

What I’m reading…

Last week I reviewed a selection of new books for babies and toddlers and this week another lovely one arrived on my doorstep courtesy of Alanna Max Publishers. Lenny Has Lunch by Ken Wilson-Max is a delightful celebration of early experiences and those everyday routines that become precious when you look back on them later. Another book for babies from this publisher that’s just right. The inclusion of the familiar, the nursery rhyme, the bond between father and child and clever use of vocabulary and repetition ensure Lenny Has Lunch will be shared again and again. Fabia Turner has written an excellent review on the Jericho Prize website that tells you more.

I Am Lenny Brown by Dan Freedman illustrated by Kajsa Hallström was published on 8th June by Puffin Books which you may remember was Empathy Day. It would not surprise me in the least to see this thoughtful, kind story feature in future Read For Empathy collections. Lenny is 8 years and doesn’t talk to anyone other than his Mum and his pet dog, Rocky. When Lenny has to move to a new school it feels like the end of the world to him and he knows he will struggle and find it hard to make new friends. Lenny is an endearing character and his courage as he tries to fit in and find his voice will inspire other children. It is also heartening to see the importance of a supportive teacher included within this book and there is emphasis on making an effort to understand others who may be a little different. However this never feels like an ‘issues book’ and the presentation style and illustrations add to its appeal as does the sport element. A children’s book that adults will rate and children will enjoy.

News, articles and resources…

Diverse Libraries webinar 3 – Patrick Ness: Handling difficult conversations around representation in children’s literature – in the last of the National Literacy Trust’s 2023 Diverse Libraries free webinar series multi award-winning author Patrick Ness will explore why it’s important that children can continue to access books which confront complex matters. Librarian Barbara Band will open the webinar with an exploration of how best to address the representation of neurodiversity in conversations about children’s literature. The event takes place on Tuesday 20th June 4.00-5.15pm and registration details can be found via the link above.

Refugee Week 2023 Resources – last minute reminder of these excellent resources from the Literacy Trust and author Tom Palmer freely available for schools to mark Refugee Week which starts on Monday 19th June.

The Winners of the Children’s Book Award 2023 – The winners of the Children’s Book Award were announced last weekend in a special event held at the CLPE Library in London. There is a full write up giving details of the winning books, the award itself and the shortlisted books on the Federation of Children’s Book Groups website above and you can watch a recording of the ceremony here.

Book Blast with Nikki Gamble June 2023 – if you missed this event live last weekend it is now available to watch via Nikki’s Book Channel on YouTube, well worth subscribing to if you haven’t already. This is the first of two for June, as there are so many books being published at the moment, and focuses on non-fiction. We have another edition to look forward to later in the month concentrating on fiction and picturebooks.

Marcus Rashford Book Club – another great initiative from the National Literacy Trust, this Book Club aims to encourage and nurture a love of reading in children and get free books to the children who need them the most. The summer 2023 Book Club choice is The Breakfast Club Adventures: The Ghoul in the School and the Trust have partnered with the publisher Macmillan Children’s Books to create exclusive materials accompanying the book suitable for use with pupils aged 8 to 11 – KS2: Years 4, 5 and 6, or P5 and P6 (Scotland), and are free for teachers to download and use. Children don’t have to have a copy of the book to join in as many of the activities relate to the first chapter which is included in the pack.

How To Read a Picture Book – guest blog on the Just Imagine website from Shelley Jackson, Associate Professor and Course Leader for the MA in Children’s Book Illustration at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) in which she looks at three recent Klaus Flugge award winners, Pierre’s New Hair by Joseph Namara Hollis (2022), Gustavo the Shy Ghost by Flavia Z. Drago (2021), and When Sadness Comes to Call by Eva Eland (2020) and discusses some of the techniques used by illustrators.

A secret world, footballing fun and tasty adventures by various authors – children’s book reviews – Pam Norfolk regularly reviews children’s books for the Lancashire Post and this great selection features something suitable for a wide age range and differing tastes. Peggy Little-Legs by Pip Jones and Paula Bowles, a Little Gem from Barrington Stoke, is on its way to my 6 year old assistant reviewer and I can confirm that it’s a ‘doggie delight’ for age 5+.

Win all 16 books from the Storytime Prize longlist – To celebrate the success of the BookTrust Storytime Prize highlighting the best books to share with those aged 0-5, this year, Book Trust are giving you a chance to win a copy of all 16 longlisted books of your very own. There are a great variety of titles on this year’s longlist, from family tales like Zeki Rise and Shine to dinosaur adventures with Don’t Let Diplodocus Draw. This longlist has been chosen by staff, parents, carers and children through voting at libraries and schools and represents some of the best children’s books of recent years.

UKLA Literacy School Of The Year 2023 – UKLA has announced that the winner of the 2023 UKLA Literacy School of the Year is Elmhurst Primary School in Newham, London. The write up of all that this school has done to warrant this award is extremely impressive. “Everyone in the school – children and staff – speaks knowledgably about and delights in books.” Many congratulations to everyone involved.

The big idea: do we need to dismantle the literary canon? – Jeffrey Boakye’s article in the Guardian raises many important points and will no doubt prompt discussion among educators. “There are immediate and urgent conversations to be had about the overlapping issues of social justice, identity politics, geopolitics and sustainability, and the curriculum can be a starting point for them.”

Books with neuro-divergent characters mark new chapter for publishers – article by Amelia Hill in the Guardian quoting children’s authors Elle McNicol and Lizzie Huxley-Jones Tom Purser, head of guidance, volunteering and campaigns at the National Autistic Society.

Books in Translation – an excellent article by Denise Reed, founder of Librarians in Independent Prep Schools in South East England (LIPSSEE), on the importance and value of children’s books in translation. She has included a range of helpful links and sources of information that will be useful to anyone interested in this subject.

The YA Book Prize Shortlist – congratulations to all the authors and publishers on the YABookPrize 2023 shortlist which was announced this week. Four first-time writers appear on this year’s shortlist for the YA Book Prize, with the winner once again to be revealed at a ceremony at August’s Edinburgh International Book Festival.

Finalists for the 2023 Primary and Secondary School Librarian of the Year – In schools all over the UK, dedicated staff are working hard to bring reading and learning alive for pupils. The SLA School Librarian of the Year Award recognises the best of the excellent work that is carried out in school libraries every day. Huge congratulations to all the wonderful finalists. Special congratulations to Sally Hammerton for whom I’m personally delighted!

Finally, some book reviews that caught my eye this week…

The Thing at 52 by Ross Montgomery and Richard Johnson – this new picture book due out in July about friendship and community sounds lovely and the cover is beautiful. Find out more in Kate Heap’s review.

The Lovely Dark by Matthew Fox – several people whose opinions I trust have recently recommended this book to me. This thoughtful review by Nicki Cleveland is the one that convinced me I need to read it. Published by Hachette next month.

Bite Risk – S.J. Wills – this first in a new series for teens has been receiving a great deal of attention this week. Rich Simpson hosts the author in a Q&A on his blog that will interest fans of horror. Rich describes the book as “perfect for fans of Stranger Things, Jennifer Killick, Point Horror etc.” so will probably be popular!

That’s everything for this week and I hope you have have a lovely weekend however you are spending it.